Back from the Blogging Hiatus

Hello Hello to everyone!
Long time no blog! Hope you are all doing well. I haven’t written in some time, not because I completely forgot about the blog (on the contrary - I kept telling myself that *this* Shabbat I’ll write an entry) – but somehow I just never felt like I had anything significant to write. It’s not that my life is boring here, it’s just that I’ve finally settled down a bit. It took about 5 months or so, but I’ve got a little routine going. I work full time, have started running again (am running a 10k race in 6 days), am taking Hebrew lessons twice a week, going to our weekly seminars, and trying to have fun here and there when I can. It isn’t that exciting, but it’s funny how you really do acclimate to your surroundings after some time. I can get around town, am understanding just a *tad* bit more Hebrew, know a couple good spots to eat, and have even cooked Shabbat lunch.
I deal with problems when they come, know where to get cheap groceries, and officially can’t eat a meal without hummus.

It doesn’t seem like much, but I distinctly remember saying out loud how I can’t imagine ever feeling settled in any way. And here I am, 6 months later, sustaining an independent life in Israel. Pretty wild! Given the extremely minimal hardships which I’ve encountered while being here, I can’t help but think how unbelievably difficult it must have been for my parents to immigrate. It’s terrifying to come to a completely foreign place and have to build your life from scratch (never mind having children to feed and a family to somehow maintain and support). If my experience bears even the slightest resemblance to what they went through, I simply don’t have any words sufficient enough to describe my amazement and gratitude for everything that they went through. Makes me think twice when I want to complain about lack of friends or American comforts.

However, there is a price to pay for finally reaching a state of equilibrium and comfort in this environment. Because I have a daily routine and am keeping busy with day–to-day activities, I feel like I’m a bit out of synch with Israel. I used to be acutely aware of the fact that I was in Jerusalem – the holiest city there in the world. I felt the magic in the air and smiled when I would see someone praying on the bus – because that’s normal here. Jaffa oranges were that much better because they are grown in Eretz Israel. And going to a club and seeing guys in kippas dance was somewhat of a small miracle to me! These days, it’s not that I’m less aware of these things, or don’t think they are special – I just have to remind myself – and that’s really upsetting to me. I don’t ever want to take this country for granted, and I’m scared that that might be a natural side-effect of spending so much time here.
But don’t worry dear reader(s) - I do have new and legitimate adventures to write about, with pictures and everything. But I guess I just wanted to provide a little background as to what my life has been like in general. So no complaints. Hakol Beseder 

Lots of Love from Jerusalem
בלה